viii, 280 pages ; 22 cm

"A pioneer in the field of behavioral science delivers a groundbreaking work that shows how finding your purpose in life leads to better health and overall happiness. Your life is a boat. You need a rudder. But it doesn't matter how much wind is in your sails if you're not steering toward a harbor--an ultimate purpose in your life. While the greatest philosophers have pondered purpose for centuries, today it has been shown to have a concrete impact on our health. Recent studies into Alzheimer's, heart disease, stroke, depression, functional brain imaging, and measurement of DNA repair are shedding new light on how and why purpose benefits our lives. Going beyond the fads, opinions, and false hopes of "expert" self-help books, The Science of Purpose explores the incredible connection between purposeful living and the latest scientific evidence on quality of life and longevity. Drawing on ancient and modern philosophy, literature, psychology, evolutionary biology, genetics, and neuroscience, as well as his experience in public health research, Dr. Vic Strecher reveals the elements necessary for a purposeful life and how to acquire them, and outlines an elegant strategy for improving energy, willpower, and long-term happiness, and well-being. He integrates these core themes into his own personal story--a tragedy that led him to reconsider his own life--and how a deeper understanding of purposeful living helped him not only survive, but thrive. Illuminating, accessible, and authentically grounded in real people's experiences, The Science of Purpose is essential reading for everyone seeking lasting improvement in their lives"--

Include bibliographical references (page 249-266) and index

Part One: A Harbor -- Chapter 1 Crossroads -- chapter 2 Origins of Purpose -- Chapter 3 Our Best Purpose -- Chapter 4 Self-Transcendence -- Chapter 5 Miracles, God, and the Afterlife -- Part Two: Wind and a Rudder -- Chapter 6 Energy -- Chapter 7 Willpower -- Part Three: SPACE -- Chapter 8 Sleep -- Chapter 9 Presence -- Chapter 10 Activity -- Chapter 11 Creativity -- Chapter 12 Eating -- Part Four: Learning to Sail -- Chapter 13 Sailing Through Storms -- Chapter 14 An Excellent Sailor -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Index

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